Seed-sprouter.



C. H. 'SCHR'O'EDER.

SEED SPROUTER.

APPLICATION Fl-LED JUNE 2, 1917.

Patented Jan.1,1918.

.fm elzzor 20 16 nnrrnfi g 'iarns rATE- F C cam. H. sonnonnnn, or IDES Morass-Iowa.

sEEn-sPnoUTER.

To all whom it may conce'rmq Be'it known that I, CARL H. SCHROEDER, a citizen of the United States, and'resident of Des Moines,.in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented a certain new and useful Seed-Sprouter, of 'which the following is a'specification.

The object of my invention is toprovidea seed sprouter of simple, durableand'inexpensive construction. 4 I

'More particularly it is my object to provide a seed sprouter comprising a frame adapted to support a plurality of containers or pans, preferably arranged initiers,"'and to provide smaller trays in Ieachpan, the trays being perforated; and further toprovide means for raising an'cllowering said trays in the pan for raising or lowermgthe trays from orinto water in the pans,which means is adapted to be readily, and easily controlled fromoutside the containers. 7 y With these and other objectsin 'view'my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination .of the various partsofthe device,wherebythe objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: 1 p I Figure 1 shows a horizontal, sectional view through a. large tank or the like, hold ing my improved seed sprouter.

Fig. 2 shows a vertical, sectional view through the same, the seed sprouting device being shown in its lower portion in side elevation and in its upper portion in vertical,

section, and

Fig. 3 shows a transverse, vertical, sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1.

In the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate generally a large tank or the like which may be used for receiving my seed sprouter, where it is desired to maintain a substantially uniform heat around the seed trays or the like.

My improved seed sprouter proper comprises a frame having the upright corner members indicated by the reference character 11, and having a series of pans 12 arranged in a vertical spaced tier supported on said frame.

Received in each pan 12 is a seed tray 13 having in its bottom perforations 14. The seed tray 13 is considerably smaller in total Specification of Letters Patent. Pat nt d J 1 191 Application fi1edJune2,1917. 'Se ria1No.172 536.

outline than the pan 12}, as clearly illustrated in the drawings. I r anged on the interior of each pan 12 on the opposite fsidesgthere'of are brackets,

'each"comprisi ng a" horizontal fmember 18 secured to the sidewall of the pan 12. Each bracket 'hasateach'endiof the member 14:

aninward extension 15, Thefextensionsglo haveat'th'eir inner ends opposite extensions 16, extending alongside the side wallof the pan 10, parallel therewith forming bearings forthe spindles'on'the cranks herein-' after described;

Extending across the bottom of each pan "12 are two rods 17' spaced from each other and havingon their ends crank arms 19, provided at their outer ends'with the spindles 20 mounted in suitable openings orbearings in the extension s' l6. v f

; Formed on the spindle20 atone endof each rod 17is anarm 21 extending upwardly beyond the upper edge of the tray 13-and having oniitsupper enda U-shaped member 22, provided at its outerend with a 'loop .80 one position of the arm 21 to engage'and 23, The U-shapedmember is designed in receivethetupper' edge of the tray 13.

The loops 23 are pivoted to"a"connec'tin'g LJ-shapedv member 24 forming. a,,handle,

whereby the arms 21 are held in substantially parallel position.

of the tray 13, the rods 17 rest upon the bottom of the pan, thereby permitting the tray 13 to be in its lowermost position.

When the handle 24 is grasped for throwing over the arms 21 to their positions, shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, the rod 17 is raised to position, shown in Figs. 2 and 3 for thereby raising the tray 13 to the position shown in said figures. 1 7

My improved device is designed to be used for sprouting seeds, and it will readily be seen that seeds may be planted in dirt'in the trays 13, and that as much water may be kept in the pans 12 as may be desired. The trays 13 may be lowered into the water 25 and the pans 12 for causing the seeds to rapidly germinate.

If desired, however, the trays 13 may be, readily and easily. raised by manipulatingthe handles 24.

On ,accountof the arrangement and C01 struction of the raising -mechanism,-it will be seen that the trays 13 are held in horizontal position during their raising and lowering.

The trays and pans are arranged on a frame in a vertical series for saving space andior convenience inhandling a plurality of pans. to the interior of the member 10.

Some changes may be made in theconstruction and arrangement of the parts of myimproved seed sprouter Withoutdep'artingfrom the ess-entialfeatures and purposes "of my'invention, and 1 it is my intentionfto cover by the patent to beissu'ednp'on this application any modified forms f structure 7 or use of mechanical equivalents Which may be reasonably included ithin the s cop e :of

myclaims. I I claim as my lnven'tion.

l. A pan, a perforated trayof smaller size than said pan received in the pan, raising and lowering means comprising rods extending across'saidpan below said trayfcrgank devices on said rods,'and means for simultan'eou'sly operating the crank devices on the rods; "a

' 2. A pan, a perforated tray of smaller size than said pan received in thepan, raising and lowering means comprising rods extending across said pan below said tray, crank devices on said rods, means for simultaneously operating the crank devices on the rods, said means comprising parallel arms connected with'said crank devices, and a handle device for op'erativ'ely connecting said parallel arms.

If desired, heat can besupplied In a device of the class described, a pan, brackets, secured to the side'of said pan on the interior thereof having spaced bearings, saigl be arings being spaced from the Walls of said pan, a perforated tray received in said .pan,;a pair of rods extending across said pan below said tray, each rod having a crank at -.each:end,i the ends of said crankbeing rOtatably mounted in the respective bearings, arms secured to the outer ends of the cranks at one end ofsa d rod, U -shapedmembers formed at the oiiter eri'ds iof'said arms, and

a" handlefpiv'oted' to said 7 u shap a members outside, saidv pan, whereby when handle 'is iswung said arms inay' be .foper'ated" for .j ne" d lo in s id .re i a i t'he y raising and lov'veringsaid;,t ray, and.hioldi ng it in horizontal positionjdnring such raising and loweringfmovementf l '4. In a device 'ofithe class described, a

,maintain'ingsaidt y 11 horizontal position befoperatedlfro'm outsideithe pans for rais V duringsuch raisingandjldivering movement.

Copies of this patent may be obtained forifive cents eaclnby addressing the Commissioner of' Patents, 

